“Big aunt!”
Gazing at that face, a delighted expression spread over Wang Chong’s face. It was Big Aunt Wang Ru Shuang and Uncle Li Lin.
“Hehe, Chong-er, you’re here. Xiao Yao as well.”
Big aunt looked at Wang Chong and little sister passionately, as though they were her own children.
“Hehe, Chun Yuan, they are just children, there is no need for you to quarrel with them. Just let them be. Today is father’s birthday, we should discuss on how we could avoid any accidents to please him instead.”
Big aunt quickly stood out and cleared up the situation. As she spoke, she sent an inconspicuous blink at Wang Chong.
Understanding her intentions, Wang Chong smiled and pulled his little sister to the side.
In the previous life, Big Aunt Wang Ru Shuang was actually quite close with Big Aunt Xing Yuan Chun. However, everything changed in this world. With Wang Chong’s help, not only was Uncle Li Lin deployed from the North Gates to come under Zhao Fengchen, he was even promoted.
As such, Wang Ru Shuang might be even fonder of Wang Chong than her own son now!
The ruckus in big uncle’s carriage abruptly came to a halt.
“Hehe, Ru Shuang is here.”
Big Aunt Xing Yuan Chun’s head appeared from the window. She looked at Wang Ru Shuang’s carriage with welcoming eyes. Her attitude was completely different from how she treated Wang Chong’s mother previously.
Wang Chong’s grandfather has a total of three sons and one daughter, and Big Aunt Wang Ru Shuang was his only daughter. In her body flowed Duke Jiu’s blood.
On top of that, Big Aunt Wang Ru Shuang was married out, and she wasn’t in line for the inheritance. As such, there wasn’t any conflict between her and Xing Yuan Chun.
In this aspect, she was much different from Wang Chong’s mother.
“Hehe, it’s been awhile since we last met, and Yuan Chun, you are looking better and better. You don’t seem like you’re in our age group at all. Look at me, white hairs are starting to sprout already!”
“Really? Big sister, you shouldn’t say that of yourself. You don’t look old at all…”
A healthy red glow was on Xing Yuan Chun’s face, and a wide smile hung on her lips. Suddenly, a cold harrumph echoed from her carriage. Peng, the doors of the green carriage was opened from the inside. A tall figure emitting a deep aura walked out.
The abrupt situation left everyone stunned.
“Cousin!”
Wang Chong and his little sister were taken aback for a moment before they got a grasp of what was going on. From the doors of the carriage, the figure with an impatient look was no other than Wang Chong’s cousin, Wang Li.
“This child! How can you behave like that before your big aunt, hurry up and greet her!”
Big Aunt Xing Yuan Chun called.
However, Wang Li seemed as if he didn’t hear her words at all, and he didn’t even spare a glance to Big Aunt Wang Ru Shuang. Walking out of the carriage, he headed straight in.
Wang Li was both a son of the main family of the Wang Clan and he was an official of the royal court. The old master has given him special permission, thus the Imperial Army guards didn’t even stop him, allowing him to walk through.
In the blink of an eye, Wang Li disappeared on the road by the bamboo forest Throughout the entire process, not a single guard paid him any attention.
“It must be the matter before…”
A thought flashed through Wang Chong’s mind. No one could be more aware than him how ambitious Cousin Wang Li was.
In the third generation offsprings, Cousin Wang Li has been competing against Wang Chong’s two elder brothers, especially his eldest brother. However, despite being the eldest son of the main family, he wasn’t a match for Eldest Brother Wang Fu.
Even his official rank was beneath him!
This time, due to the interference of the Yao Clan, his chance at promotion was wrecked. It was obvious what Cousin Wang Li thought of the matter.
“This child…”
Big Aunt Xing Yuan Chun watched sheepishly as her son’s figure disappeared amidst the trees.
“Alright! Let’s not talk anymore and alight from the carriage!”
It was Big Uncle Wang Gen’s voice. Right after he said those words, he stepped out from the carriage. Before he came out, he glanced at Wang Chong and nodded. After which, a worried look plagued his face once more as he proceeded forward.
As the eldest son of the Wang Clan, as well as an important official in the royal court, big uncle would often come to the Four Quarters Embassy to consult the old master on some political questions.
As such, he was also another exception to the rules of the Four Quarters Embassy.
Soon, big uncle also passed by the sentry post and disappeared amidst the bamboo forest.
“Ru Shuang, shall we enter as well?”
“I’ll pass! It’s a rare occasion for my fourth brother to come down from Tianzhu Mountain to attend father’s birthday, so I’ll wait for him here and enter along with him.”
Wang Ru Shuang shook her head. She glanced purposefully at Wang Chong.
Xing Yuan Chun didn’t insist on the matter. Alighting from the carriage, she harrumphed coldly beside Wang Chong’s mother before walking into the bamboo forest.
Wang Zhu Yan was the final one to alight. Only after Big Aunt Xing Yuan Chun’s figure disappeared completely did she silently step out of the carriage. Without Xing Yuan Chun’s presence, the atmosphere felt much more harmonious.
“Aunt!”
Wang Zhu Yan walked over to Wang Chong’s mother and apologized:
“My mother’s words are a little nasty, but she isn’t a bad person. I’ll apologize in her stead, so please don’t take her words to heart.”
“Hehe, silly child. There’s no need for you apologize, I’m fine.”
Wang Chong’s mother shook her head with a smile.
“Indeed, Shu Hua. That’s just how Yuan Chun’s personality is. You should just let her words enter from one ear and leave from the other.”
Big Aunt Wang Ru Shuang added in.
The aunt and niece chatted for a few moment before they turned their gazes simultaneously at Wang Chong. Gedeng, Wang Chong’s heart skipped a beat. Big aunt’s gaze was one thing, but Cousin Wang Zhu Yan’s eyes were filled with bad intentions, as though she was looking at a piece of fat and tasty meat.
“Tsk tsk, isn’t this our family’s little Tao Zhu Gong? Why, do you not remember your Second Sister after earning some money?”
(Tao Zhu Gong is a famous businessman in the Spring and Autumn Period)
“How would I dare to!”
Wang Chong smiled sheepishly. Upon seeing this sight, Wang Chong’s big aunt, uncle, and mother couldn’t help but chuckle. Even though Wang Chong has saved the Wang Clan from a crisis and earned a huge sum of money, he was unable to maintain the same impressive image before his Cousin Wang Zhu Yan. It was as though he has met his nemesis.
“Where’s my portion? After earning so much money, it can’t be that you wish to dump your Second Sister aside?”
Wang Zhu Yan stretched out her hands and rubbed her thumb with her forefinger and middle finger.
“How could this be? I’ve put aside a makeup fund just for you. Whenever you need it, inform me and I’ll send it over to you.”
Wang Chong said.
“That’s more like it!”
Wang Zhu Yan said, but soon, she couldn’t hold herself back any longer and burst out laughing.
The moment Wang Zhu Yan laughed, the others followed suit. Only Wang Chong was rubbing his nose awkwardly.
“Right, don’t leave right after the birthday banquet later on. I’ve something I need to talk to you about.”
Wang Zhu Yan suddenly said.
Wang Chong was surprised.
His cousin rarely had anything that she needed him for, not to mention, on such an important occasion.
“Alright.”
Even though Wang Chong was perplexed, he nodded in agreement.
Even though his cousin was smiling on the surface, Wang Chong could tell that she was serious. Usually, when she put on such an expression, it meant that the matter was extremely important.
Wang Chong didn’t dare to be negligent.
“Remember to wait for me later on. Don’t forget.”
Only then did Wang Zhu Yan nod her head in satisfaction. Then, bidding Wang Chong’s mother and Big Aunt Wang Ru Shuang farewell, she walked into the bamboo forest.
After Wang Zhu Yan left, Wang Ru Shuang walked up to Wang Chong. Her gaze was extremely gentle, and a sliver of gratitude could be seen in it.
“Child, thank you!”
Wang Ru Shuang said in gratitude. Since her brother and his wife wasn’t here, there wasn’t any need for her to hide anything at all. Regarding the issue of her husband, Li Lin, she had pleaded with the old master for countless times.
However, the old master was simply too obstinate. The decisions he made couldn’t be changed, and Wang Ru Shuang had already fallen into despair. She thought that her husband would remain as a mere section leader at the North Gates until death.
The change came too suddenly!
Wang Ru Shuang could have never imagined that the one who would solve her dilemma would be the nephew whom she always thought to be rebellious and profligate.
Within an extremely short period of time, not only was her husband Li Lin deployed out of the North Gates, he was even promoted.
Even until now, Wang Ru Shuang still found it hard to believe that it wasn’t just a dream.
“Big aunt, there’s no need to thank me. We’re one family. Besides, uncle has also helped me as well.”
Wang Chong glanced at Uncle Li Lin, who was standing behind Big Aunt Wang Ru Shuang. Wang Chong was speaking the truth, but when those words reached Wang Ru Shuang’s ears, it sounded as though he was being humble. She couldn’t help but feel even more grateful.
“This child… Chong-er, you should visit big aunt more often, and interact more with your cousin Wang Liang. ——Wang Liang, your cousin is here. Come down!”
At the end, she turned to her carriage and bellowed.
“Wait a moment! Allow me to finish this wooden bird carving first. This is one of the hottest product in the capital now, and it is worth five silver taels each. If it can fly, it’ll be worth ten. Once I make a few more of these, I’ll surely be able to earn a sizeable sum!”
The person in the carriage sounded as though he was immersed in the task he was engaged in.
“Wang Liang!”
Wang Ru Shuang’s face steeled as she flew into a temper.
Listening to those words, Wang Chong couldn’t help but chuckle. Those words could have only come out from the mouth of his Cousin Wang Liang. Cousin Wang Liang wasn’t interested in academics or martial arts, the only thing he was devoted to was conducting business and earning money.
Sensitive to the market conditions, he was always able to detect business opportunities and earn a sum. The only problem was that:
Just like he said, he could only earn five silver taels to ten silver taels each time… This was just pocket change!
Hearing the sound of wood being shaved from the carriage, Cousin Wang Liang was clearly still busy.
“This child…”
Wang Ru Shuang felt helpless:
“Forget it, Shu Hua. It’s already about time. There should be a while before fourth brother comes, so let’s enter first.”
Not too far away, the Imperial Army experts split apart, opening up a path.
The old master had already relayed the news that they could enter.
…
The group walked into the depths of the Four Quarters Embassy.
The place where the old master resided was called ‘Erudite Pavilion’, and there were countless experts guarding the compounds. When Wang Chong and his mother walked in, big uncle and big aunt were already in there along with Wang Zhu Yan and Wang Li. They were standing in a line respectfully, and the entire atmosphere felt solemn.
Even though Cousin Wang Liang was slightly rebellious, he still put on an extremely obedient look at this moment, lowering his head and not daring to say anything.
See how confusing it gets -_-
Cousin here cousin there big aunt here and big aunt there.
Wang Li, Wang Liang, Wang Zhu Yan are all older than Wang Chong.
Wang Gen & Xing Chun Yuan
-Wang Zhu Yan
-Wang Li
Wang Ru Shuang & Li Lin
-Wang Liang
Wang Yan & Zhao Shu Hua
-Wang Fu (Big bro)
-Wang Bei (Second Bro)
-Wang Chong
-Wang Xiao Yao
Little Uncle Wang Mi
Yepp that’s all. I have a glossary page up if you’re confused, you can check it at the Table of Contents page